Kickoff of Protect All NC Families campaign to defeat Amendment One (updated)

Campaign manager Jeremy Kennedy says conservative lawmakers are pushing to write discrimination into the Constitution this year, even as a younger generation has voiced growing support for civil unions and gay marriage.

Kennedy, who appears on News & Views this weekend, says over the next 15 weeks thay will be working to engage college students, faith-based leaders, progressives and others and urge them to vote ‘No’ against the May 8th amendment.

UPDATE 2: Videos from the today’s event:

Rep. Rick Glazier, NC House Minority Whip, spoke eloquently about the harms of the Amendment.

Rev. T. Anthony Spearman, NAACP-NC, AME Zion Church spoke passionately against all forms of discrimination and the cynical “divide and conquer” politics of the legislature’s right-wing majority.

Caitlin Breedlove, Co-Director, Southerners on New Ground, explained how she and her partner were watching the news recently with their young daughter. When a report began to air about the marriage discrimination amendment vote, Breedlove reported, her daughter became confused and worried. Not fully understanding what was going on, the girl then turned to her parents and asked: “Does this mean someone’s going to come and take me away?”

UPDATE (11:30 AM): Just heard from ENC Communications Director Jen Jones; they lost their Internet connection at the NCGA; the event is proceeding so there will be post-event coverage. This is when having your own broadband card matters — avoid someone else’s dicey wireless. Hint – there’s another wish list item for the org that a generous person out there could provide.